Camp Schuylkill Environmental Educator

The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education is hiring Camp Counselors for its Camp Schuylkill, an environmentally-focused summer camp in Philadelphia, PA. Positions are available for different age groups, with responsibilities including planning and teaching environmental lessons, leading hikes, and supervising outdoor activities. Counselors must commit to all nine weeks of camp and complete seven training days. Applicants should be 18+, have experience with children, and enjoy outdoor settings.
Camp Schuylkill is an environmentally-focused summer camp that strives to give children the opportunity to explore and learn about their relationship to the natural world. Week-long, themed programs offer young learners a chance for in-depth explorations of a variety of nature-related topics. We are hiring for Counselors in all age groups. Available counselor positions below.
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4-5 year old Camp Counselor: In this camp, the focus will be on play and exploration while introducing children to nature and the outdoor world. The children will spend the majority of their day outdoors going on hikes and participating in free play. There will be a wide variety of art, songs, and other sensory activities integrated into week-long nature-based themes. There is also a big emphasis on social and emotional learning and supporting young children in conflict resolution, problem-solving, and emotional regulation while building positive relationships with both adults and their peers in a natural setting. This is a good choice if you understand young children’s development and would like to gain more experience integrating nature, free play, and social/emotional learning into your teaching.

Educators in this position are required to commit to all nine weeks of camp plus seven training days. Educators will work 8:30 am–4:30 pm Monday–Friday

Duties include: Planning and teaching hands-on and interactive environmental education lessons and activities, leading hikes, leading team-building activities, supervising outdoor recreation activities such as fishing, canoeing, and fire building, and supervising free and unstructured outdoor play. Seven days of paid training will be provided.

Qualifications:

Required
• Applicants must be 18 years or older
• Comfortable in the outdoors and all weather conditions
• Demonstrated ability to be a positive role model for participants
• An understanding of child development and age-appropriate pedagogy
• Experience working with children
• Strong communication skills and confidence in leading groups
• Ability to engage children in fun and creative, hands-on learning opportunities
• Ability to be flexible and maintain a positive attitude throughout camp

Helpful But Not Required
• Familiarity with outdoor recreation and natural sciences
• An understanding of how to best support children with special needs and/or varying abilities
• Associate or Bachelor’s Degree or major in Environmental Science, Education, Early Childhood Education, Biology, Botany, Horticulture, Agriculture, Outdoor Leadership, or related field

Dates of Employment: The position begins on June 5, 2025, and ends on August 15, 2025. (June 5-6 and June 9-13 are mandatory training dates.) The camp will be closed on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Compensation: $16.00/hr paid biweekly.
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6-9 year old Camp Counselor: In this camp, the focus is on general environmental education. Topics include forest ecology, reptiles and amphibians, insects, tracking, and much more. There is more of an emphasis on specific subject learning compared to the -5 camp, but an equal emphasis is placed on free play in nature and building a positive relationship with the natural world. This is a good choice if you would like to incorporate some science content into your teaching while also giving children a fun and lasting experience with nature.

Educators in this position are required to commit to all nine weeks of camp plus seven training days. Educators will work 8:30 am–4:30 pm Monday–Friday

Duties include: Planning and teaching hands-on and interactive environmental education lessons and activities, leading hikes, leading team-building activities, supervising outdoor recreation activities such as fishing, canoeing, and fire building, and supervising free and unstructured outdoor play. Seven days of paid training will be provided.

Qualifications:

Required
• Applicants must be 18 years or older
• Comfortable in the outdoors and all weather conditions
• Demonstrated ability to be a positive role model for participants
• An understanding of child development and age-appropriate pedagogy
• Experience working with children
• Strong communication skills and confidence in leading groups
• Ability to engage children in fun and creative, hands-on learning opportunities
• Ability to be flexible and maintain a positive attitude throughout camp

Helpful But Not Required
• Familiarity with outdoor recreation and natural sciences
• An understanding of how to best support children with special needs and/or varying abilities
• Associate or Bachelor’s Degree or major in Environmental Science, Education, Early Childhood Education, Biology, Botany, Horticulture, Agriculture, Outdoor Leadership, or related field

Dates of Employment: The position begins on June 5, 2025, and ends on August 15, 2025. (June 5-6 and June 9-13 are mandatory training dates.) The camp will be closed on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Compensation: $16.00/hr paid biweekly.
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10-12 year old Camp Counselor: In this camp, preteens engage in environmentally focused adventures. Week-long programs are designed to challenge campers emotionally, physically, and socially in a safe and supportive environment. We are seeking highly motivated, energetic leaders to plan and facilitate adventure-based outdoor activities for students between the ages of 10–12 that align with a weekly theme. Leaders should be comfortable creating a community atmosphere that encourages students to step outside of their comfort zones.

Educators in this position are required to commit to all nine weeks of camp plus seven training days. Educators will work 8:30 am–4:30 pm Monday–Friday with the exception being the five overnights at the Schuylkill Center.

Duties include Leading team-building activities, supervising outdoor recreation activities, keeping participants engaged and focused, planning portions of the trips, maintaining camping equipment and specialized outdoor education equipment (on overnight weeks), leading or assisting hikes, cooking meals and cleaning up campsites (on overnight weeks), participating in outdoor adventure activities such as biking, canoeing, swimming, and climbing, and photographing the students engaging in their camp experience. Seven days of paid training will be provided.

Qualifications:

Required
• Applicants must be 22 years or older
• Comfortable in the outdoors and in all weather conditions
• Demonstrated ability to be a positive role model for participants
• Experience camping, cooking meals, and planning camping trips
• Experience working with children; capable of supervising pre-teens on day and overnight trips
• Strong communication skills and confidence in leading groups
• Ability to be flexible and maintain a positive attitude throughout camp
• Have a valid driver’s license and be able to drive a 10-passenger van (training provided)

Helpful but not required
• Familiarity with outdoor recreation and natural sciences
• An understanding of how to best support children with special needs and/or varying abilities
• Associate or Bachelor’s Degree or major in Environmental Science, Education, Early Childhood Education, Biology, Botany, Horticulture, Agriculture, Outdoor Leadership, or related field
• elated field

Dates of Employment: The position begins on June 5, 2025, and ends on August 15, 2025. (June 5-6 and June 9-13 are mandatory training dates.) The camp will be closed on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Compensation: $17.00/hr paid biweekly.
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If hired, all employees are responsible for providing a valid Pennsylvania child abuse clearance, state criminal background check, FBI criminal background check, Mandated Reporter training, and other background checks that the Schuylkill Center requires based on the applicant’s state residency. First Aid/CPR training will be provided to applicants who don’t currently have it. Additionally, as of September 2021, all hires are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

To apply: Please send a letter of interest, resume, and two (2) references to Khaliah D. Pitts at khaliah@schuylkillcenter.org or Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, Philadelphia, PA 19128.

Please include the age group you are interested in working with. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

And, please no phone calls for application submissions, thank you!